For centuries, married couples have been designing shared shields that combine their family histories in one heraldic symbol.

But the strict rules of the ancient body meant civil partners could not qualify.

Qualified: Sir Elton John, believed to be marrying his civil partner David Furnish this month, currently holds an 'escutcheon', or shield, featuring a keyboard, records and a satyr playing pan pipes. Once married, the couple could apply to 'impale' his with a design created for Mr Furnish, according to the newly-revealed College of Arms rules

Now, a month on from the first ever same-sex marriage, the College of Arms has revealed gay and lesbian married couples can be welcomed into the tradition.

Sir Elton John, who is believed to be
marrying his civil partner David Furnish in a private ceremony this month,
currently holds an 'escutcheon', or shield, featuring a keyboard, records and a satyr
playing pan pipes.

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If Mr Furnish applies to join the College, the couple will be able to have a shared design fashioned once they are married.

A shared shield is traditionally split vertically, with the husband's design on one side and the wife's on the other.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 'impaled' her shield (left) with that of her husband, Prince Charles. It features her family's symbol of a boar's head, as well as her husband's motto 'Ich Dien', which means 'I serve', and a royal crown. Charles's (right) holds a number of features of the royal coat of arms, including the Royal motto

The Royal coat of arms represents all parts of the United Kingdom, and it is surrounded by a garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense ('Evil to him who evil thinks')

Men have always been able to maintain their own without changing it, but brides have been obliged to commission a redesign that gives a nod to their husband's stature.

Today, the College ruled men and women who contract a same-sex marriage can 'impale' the arms of their husband or wife with their own on a shield or banner.

HOW DO YOU GET A COAT OF ARMS?

Coats of Arms came into being during medieval tournaments like jousting when knights would be recognised by the motifs on their shields or helmets and heralds quickly learnt the different ones in use, taking up responsibility for the control of their use.

Over time their use began to decline in competition and battle but they became more widely used in society.

The College of Arms, a branch of the Royal household, is the official body in the UK that deals with coats of arms and their team of experts - funded by the fees they charge and not taxpayers money - design and research heraldic or genealogical issues.

The arms are given for free while the money people pay is for the research and design of the coat of arms.

However, that doesn't mean that just anybody can pay the fee and get a coat of arms. The cumulative knowledge of the Earl Marshal gathered over hundreds of years has given them the skill of tactfully suggesting that people don't proceed with their application.

The late Peter Gwynn-Jones, a former Garter King of Arms, once said: 'In practice, eligibility depends upon holding a civil or military commission, a sound university degree or professional qualification, or having achieved some measure of distinction in a field beneficial to society as a whole.'

If their spouse dies, the bearer can continue to wear the joint emblem, the ruling added.

And in a landmark amendment, women are now free to choose whether or not their coat of arms features their spouse at all.

With a strict set of criteria, initially drawn up by Richard III in 1434, applicants must be of 'eminence or good standing in national or local life' to get one.

Honours from the crown, military commissions, university degrees and professional qualifications are taken into account. Those who are descended from awardees automatically qualify.

Clare Balding OBE, who went to Cambridge
University, is eligible for an escutcheon - and could apply for a shared
emblem if she were to marry civil partner Alice Arnold.

Each design must be unique and have at least two 'linear differences' so that it can be distinct if shown in black and white. It costs £5,250 to design a coat of arms for a man; £3,750 for a woman.

As a family has legal ownership of its coat of arms, a case could technically be brought in the Court of Chivalry if designs were too similar or if someone used another person's heraldry.

No such action has been taken since 1954 when Manchester Corporation successfully sued the Manchester Palace of Varieties for using its coat of arms.

Ahead of her marriage to Prince William, Kate Middleton designed her own family coat of arms, to be impaled with his.

Although Kate's ancestors include coal miners and carpenters, she was welcomed by the College.

The grant was made to Kate's father Michael Middleton because the coat of arms is passed down the male line. This allows Kate's siblings to use the design.

Seeking advice from Downton Abbey's etiquette coach Alastair Bruce, her mother Carole Middleton settled on a design that reflected their Englishness, as well as their love of skiing.

The design features three acorns to reflect oak trees in their family village of Bucklebury, as well as strength and Englishness.

The chevrons are symbols of mountains, as the family are all keen skiiers.

William’s design is a version of the Royal Coat of Arms which was granted to him by the Queen on his 18th birthday.

It shows the various royal emblems of the United Kingdom: the three lions of England, the lion of Scotland and the harp of Ireland.

It is surrounded by a blue garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense – Shame to those who think evil of it – which symbolises the Order of the Garter of which he is a Knight Companion.

Both shields are supported by the Duke of Cambridge’s ‘supporters’ – a royal lion and unicorn, each wearing a three pointed collar, known as a label.

Following their 2011 wedding, the Duke and Duchess had a shared escutcheon fashioned.

The label has a red scallop shell derived from the Spencer coat of arms, which has been used by the ancestors of Princess Diana for centuries.

Flowing out from the top of the
Conjugal Coat of Arms is ‘mantling’, which represents the slashed cloth
hung around the necks of knights fighting in the heat of the Middle East
during the Crusades.

Timothy
Duke, of the College of Arms, said: ‘Any married couple who are both
entitled to arms are entitled to combine them in a Conjugal Coat of
Arms.

Duke and Duchess: Prince William and Kate Middleton had their shields impaled following their 2011 wedding to reflect their families' histories

Kate Middleton's family had to have a coat of arms designed especially for the union, which was then featured on the programme for the Royal wedding

The Middleton's design, unveiled (left) by Senior Herald Thomas Woodcock, features acorns representing Englishness and the oak trees in their village of Bucklebury. The chevrons that reflect mountains in a nod to the family's love of skiing. Bestowed to her father, it means the coat of arms can be passed down for the whole family to use

Herald painter Robert Parsons sketches a coat of arms for the Middleton. Each design must have two linear differences so it scan be distinct in black and white

‘There are
different rules and conventions as to how this works, depending on who
the individual is, but as the Duke of Cambridge is a Knight of the Order
of the Garter his is encircled by the blue garter bearing its motto.

‘As
his wife is not, a wreath was made to balance hers out decoratively.
Obviously that will change if she, in the future, is made a member
herself.’

The Royal coat of arms has evolved over many years and reflects the history of the Monarchy and of the country.

In the design the shield shows the various Royal emblems of different parts of the United Kingdom: the three lions of England in the first and fourth quarters, the lion of Scotland in the second and the harp of Ireland in the third.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow had a coat of arms designed to reflect his work to champion gay rights, including a rainbow-edged scroll and pink triangles

It is surrounded by a garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense ('Evil to him who evil thinks'), which symbolises the Order of the Garter, an ancient order of knighthood of which the Queen is Sovereign.

The shield is supported by the English lion and Scottish unicorn and is surmounted by the Royal crown. Below it appears the motto of the Sovereign, Dieu et mon droit ('God and my right').

The plant badges of the United Kingdom - rose, thistle and shamrock - are often displayed beneath the shield.

It is customary for individuals to develop their coat of arms to reflect their life and work over time.

John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, unveiled his in 2011, which reflects the work he has done to champion gay rights.

Bearing the motto 'All Are Equal', it is embellished with pink triangles and a rainbow-coloured scroll.